Daily Recap — July 30

“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”

— Dumbledore

.

.

.

TURNS OUT KEEBLER IS ALIVE AFTER ALL

.

.

I guess AG Sessions hasn’t recused himself from everything at the DOJ.

He announced today that the Justice Department is creating a “religious liberty task force.”

Keebler said the task force, co-chaired by Associate AG Jesse Panuccio and the assistant AG for the DOJ’s Office of Legal Policy, Beth Williams, will help the department fully implement the religious liberty guidance it issued last year.

You may recall PDT signing an executive order last year directing agencies to respect and protect religious liberty and political speech. This is the result of that order.

.

Sessions said that the task force will “ensure all Justice Department components are upholding that guidance in the cases they bring and defend, the arguments they make in court, the policies and regulations they adopt, and how we conduct our operations.”

Keebler said the cultural climate in this country has become hostile to people of faith in recent years, and as a result many Americans have felt their freedom to practice their faith has been under attack.

“We’ve seen nuns ordered to buy contraceptives. We’ve seen U.S. senators ask judicial and executive branch nominees about dogma—even though the Constitution explicitly forbids a religious test for public office. We’ve all seen the ordeal faced so bravely by Jack Phillips,” he said, referring to the Colorado baker who refused to bake a cake for a gay wedding.

In other words, they’re reversing 8 years of Barry Soetoro.

.

The guidance Keebler issued in October lays out 20 fundamental principles for the executive branch to follow, including the principles that free exercise means a right to act — or not act — and that government shouldn’t impugn people’s motives or beliefs.

“In short, we have not only the freedom to worship—but the right to exercise our faith. The Constitution’s protections don’t end at the parish parking lot nor can our freedoms be confined to our basements,” he said.

Sessions said the federal government under the Trump administration is not just reacting but is actively seeking to accommodate people of faith.

“Religious Americans are no longer an afterthought,” he said.

.

I know it’s hard to be happy with AG Sessions until we see people in handcuffs, but he’s doing a good thing here. Let’s be happy with the blessings we have.

.

.

.

.

.

NEW ROCKETS FOR ROCKET MAN?

.

.

Let me preface this by saying the information contained herein is by no means 100% confirmed. However, upon encountering these reports, I talked with someone within the intelligence community who largely corroborated it. Still, bear in mind that intelligence-gathering is an ongoing process and information is often updated/clarified as time goes on.

According to reports released today, satellite images taken in recent weeks appear to show that at least one and possibly two liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are being worked on at a large research facility in Sanumdong, which is just outside of the capital of Pyongyang.

This is the same facility where NK first produced ICBMs that could reach the U.S.

.

According to both my sources and whoever the hell is talking to the Fake News, we have been viewing supply trucks and other vehicles operate in and around the missile facility daily, along with the same number and type of workers that have constructed missiles there in the past.

A bright-red covered trailer, identical to the those NK used to transport previous ICBMs, was photographed on July 7 at Sanumdong loading area.

Independent, non-governmental missile experts told the newspaper that they are observing the same activity.

This is a bit of a mixed message, seeing as how satellite imagery also showed the Sohae Satellite Launching Station being dismantled around the same timeframe, which would be a big step toward fulfilling Rocket Man’s denuclearization promises. But there are also reports that the Sohae site had been rendered obsolete before dismantling began. Again, those reports are not confirmed.

.

BIG PICTURE:

.

I would love to tell you that we know everything going on in NK right now but that wouldn’t be honest. The truth is, imagery intelligence is far from ideal, especially in a country like North Korea that is fully aware we’re watching and has made an art of concealment.

But at the same time, the fact that we’re having to analyze and guess our way toward intelligence conclusions isn’t a good sign. Rocket Man needs to stop the games. That includes standing up our Secretary of State and his delegation for high level meetings and having his spokesmen release statements about how unilateral disarmament “betrays the spirit” of the summit last month.

Do they not understand what the agreement is? Or are they up to their old tricks of stalling and delaying until they get what they want?

Whatever it is, we need clarity here. I trust the Trump administration to get it soon, if they haven’t already behind the scenes.

.

.

.

.

.

MIXED MESSAGES ON IRAN

.

.

Today, PDT threw the world for a loop by announcing that he would meet with Iranian leaders without precondition. Then, Secretary of State Pompeo listed specific conditions for PDT to meet with Iran.

Yep, just another day.

“We’ve said this before,” Pompeo said. “The president wants to meet with folks to solve problems.”

He then listed off what must happen for said meeting to take place:

“If the Iranians demonstrate a commitment to make fundamental changes in how they treat their own people, reduce their malign behavior, can agree that it’s worthwhile to enter into a nuclear agreement that actually prevents proliferation, then the president said he’s prepared to sit down and have the conversation with them,” Pompeo said.

“It’s good for the country, good for them, good for us and good for the world. No preconditions. If they want to meet, I’ll meet,” he said, adding that he wasn’t sure “if they’re ready yet.”

“I do believe that they will probably end up wanting to meet,” PDT said. “And I’m ready to meet any time they want to. And I don’t do that from strength or from weakness. I think it’s an appropriate thing to do.”

It’s important to note that PDT isn’t only in conflict with Secretary of State’s remarks, but his administration’s official policy. In May, Pompeo outlined 12 specific conditions that would have to be met for the U.S. to hold talks with Iran after PDT decided to withdraw the Iran Deal.

Frankly, I’m not sure how PDT and his SoS can be on such different pages after big speeches have been given with accompanying documentation to set the policy in stone. This is bad because it means people will stop paying attention to any policies that come from the administration, as they’re subject to change at any given moment depending upon what questions are posed to the president.

At the end of the day, policy papers take a back seat to whatever the POTUS decides. I just hope our team starts playing on the same sheet of music, because this looks really bad.

.

.

.

.

.

NOW THIS IS MY PRESIDENT

.

.

For the last 2 years, there has been a running joke within my readership that PDT reads my work on a daily basis and often takes my advice. As far-fetched as it may be, the tiny flicker of hope that it might just be true is the sort of thing that keeps a guy like me going during long nights of writing.

And stories like this keep that flicker alive.

.

.

PDT doubled down today on his threat to shut down the federal gubmint to secure enhanced border security measures.

“If we don’t get border security after many, many years of talk within the United States, I would have no problem doing a shutdown,” PDT said during a joint press conference with Italian prime minister Fettuccine Alfredo.

.

He first raised the possibility of a shutdown in a Sunday tweet:

“I would be willing to ‘shut down’ government if the Democrats do not give us the votes for Border Security, which includes the Wall! Must get rid of Lottery, Catch & Release etc. and finally go to system of Immigration based on MERIT! We need great people coming into our Country!” he wrote.

.

Outstanding.

.

However, things got a little murky today when PDT was asked whether he would outright veto the September spending bill if it doesn’t include #TheWall, saying, “I’ll always leave room for negotiation.”

“I have no red line, unlike President Obama,” he added. “I just want great border security.”

.

PDT went on to praise Prime Minister Alfredo for his hardline stance on immigration, an issue which drove his successful candidacy in Italy. The Donald in turn blasted U.S. immigration laws, calling them a “laughingstock” and the “worst” in the world, then put the onus on Congress to change them, saying he would “certainly be willing to close it down to get it done.”

.

The swamp faces a Sept. 30 deadline to pass a funding bill and today’s comments will almost certainly send shockwaves through the RINO faction, who say they would rather address money for a border wall after the funding deadline passes. And we all know what that means: never.

.

Days ago, RINOs in Congress indicated they would be able to avoid such a political standoff, but the way there seems less than reassuring for the Trump base who have waited (im)patiently for his chief campaign promise to come to fruition.

.

Paul Rino and Turtle McConnell met with PDT at the White House last week to discuss funding the government. Both left the West Wing seemingly assured that they would be able to avoid a shutdown.

.

“The president’s willing to be patient to make sure that we get what we need so we can get that done,” Rino said of the border wall funding last Thursday.

.

McConnell said last Friday that he believes wall funding will “probably” have to wait until after the November midterms. However, he asserted that a government shutdown is “not going to happen.”

.

And to the extent that the two chambers of Congress support the wall at all (they don’t), they’re at odds over how much funding to provide for the wall.

.

The House Appropriations Committee approved $5 billion for the wall in its Homeland Security bill last week. However, the Senate’s version of the bill includes $1.6 billion to reinforce existing physical barriers. If that second figure sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the exact same slap in the face we received during the last trillion-dollar monstrosity.

.

.

.

BIG PICTURE:

.

Of all the things the Swamp does — or more accurately, doesn’t do — this makes my blood boil above and beyond everything. And if you’re a hardcore Trumper, it ought to have the same effect on you.

PDT ran and won the presidency largely on a promise to build a #BigBeautifulWall on the southern border. He won not only traditionally conservative states, but shattered the so-called “blue wall” in the rust belt that “experts” claimed would ensure Hillary’s victory no matter what.

And still, here we are, fighting tooth and nail just to get crumbs for the leading item on the Trump agenda. We are spending over a trillion dollars with each spending bill and yet we can’t even get $25 billion to fund the item that millions of Americans chanted for all of 2015, 2016, 2017 and beyond.

THE PRESIDENT’S CHIEF CAMPAIGN PROMISE COMPRISES LESS THAN .025% OF THE BUDGET AND WE CAN’T EVEN GET THAT. IT’S A SLAP IN THE FACE OF EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO VOTED FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP. THEY ARE LAUGHING AT US BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND SPITTING ON THE VERY NOTION OF CARRYING OUT THE AGENDA THEY WERE ELECTED FOR.

No, Paul Rino. WE ARE TIRED OF BEING PATIENT. WE HAVE BEEN PATIENT FAR TOO LONG. And frankly, I hope PDT shuts down the whole damn thing until we get 100% of what is needed to protect our southern border. Democrats have not needed to be patient for Planned Parenthood funding or any other number of the pet projects they held our military hostage for last year.

The military is funded for a while, Mr. President. DO NOT LET THIS SLAP IN THE FACE OF YOUR SUPPORTERS CONTINUE. It’s time to play hardball. Let every single Republican know that you will sabotage their campaigns in any way you can if they don’t get on board, along with every vulnerable Democrat in Trump-friendly states. Let them know that you don’t care if it takes you down in the process, so long as DC burns down. Let them know that you don’t need this job and that you don’t give a damn. YOU ARE NOT A POLITICIAN AND THAT IS YOUR BEST WEAPON. Politicians are primarily concerned with self-preservation. They need this job; YOU DON’T. Use that to your advantage.

Use every bit of personal dirt you have on them, and I know you have plenty. You are made of teflon; they’re not. USE THAT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE. Use your informational powers to reveal which congressional members used taxpayer funds to pay off sexual harassment/assault cases. Find out every damn detail and threaten each member with full disclosure unless they push for the wall. Threaten to declassify FISA applications and other DOJ-related materials that could implicate Dims and RINOs. Use everything at your disposal.

I’m tired of being spat upon, Mr. President. I’m tired of the swamp doing what the hell it wants, spending my daughter and her future children into oblivion without so much as throwing leftovers to keep our border safe. It’s an insult to us, Mr. President and I know I’m not the only one who’s sick of absorbing it.

DO NOT LISTEN TO THE CAREER GOP CONSULTANTS. The American people support your hardline stance on immigration. Even the establishment’s own polls reflect this reality. Do not let them fool you into believing you’re committing political suicide. And if they insist on continued fear-mongering, tell them that political suicide is just fine by you, but that you’re taking them with you.

If Democrats get a one damn thing they want while we’re told to “be patient until after the midterms,” I can all but assure you that those midterms will be the GOP’s undoing anyway.